Spotify is improving audiobook access for its family plan subscribers – here’s what to expect from Audiobooks+

• Spotify has launched two new audiobook subscription add-ons for select Premium plan members
• Audiobooks+ and Audiobooks+ for Plan Members will allow users to purchase additional listening hours on top of the 15-hour limit
• The new options are only available in select markets, with similar plans set to follow for US subscribers

Spotify’s audiobook ecosystem is constantly evolving and is just as popular as its extensive library of podcasts. Now, the music streaming service is expanding its audiobook access to Spotify Premium subscribers with two new add-on subscriptions.

Billed as ‘Audiobooks+’ and ‘Audiobooks+ for Plan Members’, Spotify’s new audiobook add-ons offer additional listening hours for Premium subscribers, giving users more flexible subscription plan options that allow you to customize access to suit your personal needs.

The addition of the two new options aims to ‘help grow the publishing industry and create the best possible experience for booklovers’, which the company shared in its announcement. Prices of the new add-ons have not been shared by Spotify, which is likely due to them varying by market.

Currently, the new subscription add-ons are only available to Premium subscribers in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

This follows Spotify’s initial trials in Ireland and Canada, which proved to be successful, and similar plans are set to follow for US subscribers, according to TechCrunch.

Say hello to Audiobooks+

As for Spotify’s new audiobook plans, the first plan is Audiobooks+, which allows Premium Individual, Premium Family, and Premium Duo plan managers to add an extra 15 hours of audiobook listening each month. The base plan already includes 15 hours of audiobook access, so purchasing the Audiobooks+ add-on will double that. The Audiobooks+ for Plan Members option is slightly different.

In a first-time move for Spotify, members on Family and Duo plans who aren’t the account manager will be able to access their own additional audiobook listening hours. Spotify says that all you have to do is request audiobook access from your plan manager, who can then purchase extra audiobook listening hours on your behalf. If users run out of hours before their monthly bill comes out, plan managers can also purchase a one-time 10-hour top-up.

The new subscription add-ons take Spotify’s audiobook ecosystem to a different level, offering an element of flexibility that could really benefit listeners who read more than other members in their Family or Duo plans. This means that plan managers won’t have to purchase additional hours for every member, and can prioritize those who are more likely to take advantage of Spotify’s audiobook library.

Back in 2024, Spotify launched its standalone Audiobook Access Tier in the US, a plan designed for users who want more audiobook-specific content rather than music and podcasts, though this plan does offer ad-supported playback for both. With the new Audiobooks+ plans, Spotify’s main objective is to provide listeners with more flexibility within their subscription plans, which is great for avid readers, but music fans still matter, all of whom are still patiently waiting for the Spotify HiFi add-on.

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